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1997 UUIC clinical staging system (for prostate cancer)

The global standard in prostate cancer staging is the TNM classification of malignant tumors. Doctors throughout the world use the tumor, lymph node, and metastasis (TNM) system for staging most cancers. The following is the fifth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Systems for prostate cancer. These stages are listed on the pathology report.

• TX: cannot evaluate the primary tumor
• T0: no evidence of tumor
• T1: tumor present, but not detectable clinically or with imaging
• T1a: tumor was incidentally found in less than 5 percent of prostate tissue resected (for other reasons)
• T1b: tumor was incidentally found in greater than 5 percent of prostate tissue resected
• T1c: tumor was found in a needle biopsy performed due to an elevated serum PSA
• T2: the tumor can be felt (palpated) on examination, but has not spread outside the prostate
• T2a: the tumor is in half or less than half of one of the prostate gland's two lobes, or the tumor is in more than half of one lobe, but not both
• T2b: the tumor is in both lobes
• T3: the tumor has spread through the prostatic capsule (if it is only part-way through, it is still T2)
• T3a: the tumor has spread through the capsule on one or both sides
• T3b: the tumor has invaded one or both seminal vesicles
• T4: the tumor has invaded other nearby structures